The Civilized Sesshomaru?
by JanuaryGreen
Summary: So Sesshomaru, Rin and Jaken are sauntering about a forest and they meet Lola the sword who's quest in life is to teach everyone who grabs her hilt-etiquette. Oh yes.
1. Chapter 1

The Civilized Sesshomaru...? Chapter 1

"You have to let me go." She said as he held her.

"But I…I just can't. You've been so good to me. Please don't leave me! I can't live without you!"

"Oh please, don't make this any harder on yourself or on me. Just let go. I need to go onto another quest." She gently scolded.

He sobbed and turned away. All his memories with her were flooding back to him and he felt like he was throwing all of it away. He wiped the tears cautiously from his red eyes with his claws; just like she had taught him to do.

"Now be a good ogre and stick me in the ground." The sword in his hands sweetly encouraged.

The ogre sniffled once more, held her hilt firmly in his hands, and thrust her sharp blade into the soft ground of the cliff. She sank beautifully and clean into the earth and the ogre wept on his knees.

She stayed silent as he ran his now softer fingers over her hilt of silver and the emerald vine that flowed across the horizontal part of the handle. Simple and beautiful; just like her voice and her lessons. He had been a very successful student, so she always said. All the compliments she gave him in the past he would remember to the end of his days.

"Good-bye, Winston. I shall miss you." A sigh of sorrow and pride seeped gracefully in her soothing voice.

"Not as much as I shall miss you, Lola." Winston the ogre then kissed the nub at the bottom of her handle. "Good-bye."

With great effort, he turned and ran into the sunset.

"Red Jaken, blue Jaken, gold Jaken." Rin encouraged with a bright smile. "One more time, Master Jaken."

With an exasperated sigh he echoed her tongue twister for the thousandth time. They hadn't practiced this tongue twister for some time and now he really wished she would find something other than tongue twisters for a while.

Suddenly, Lord Sesshomaru stopped at the edge of the forest they wandered in and looked out to a cliff that appeared to have a stick in the ground.

Rin and Jaken both peered around Lord Sesshomaru's legs to squint at the slim vertical line out in the sunset. The three stared for a long time in silence.

The sun settled half way into the earth and a gleaming shimmer sparked from the slender line on the cliff. Whatever it was, it was obviously shiny.

Rin took of running to see it and Jaken called after her but she kept running. Once Rin was about four paces away, she called over her shoulder. "It's a sword, Lord Sesshomaru." She looked at it again and squatted. "A really pretty sword…"

Sesshomaru now stood at her right side and Jaken caught up with them on Rin's left.

Lord Sesshomaru's eyes glared at the sword and he could tell just by the aura of it that it was enchanted in some way. What really struck his curiosity was that was all he could see. Usually when faced with an opponent, he could see most of the powers they contained and could predict their moves with in seconds in the fight. However, for some ethereal reason, he couldn't do so with this enchanted sword.

He hated that and took it as a challenge.

He would seize the sword by its hilt and burn into the mysteries of its power then disentangle its enchantments to kill it. Nothing would try to hide anything from him-Lord Sesshomaru.

He stepped forward with dignity and instant hatred for this secretive sword. He decided it would have a slow and painful death. Then he reached out his hand, thumb down and clasped onto the hilt.

_**Pulse!**_

"Hello there." A sweet woman's voice cooed in his head.

_The sword…_ Sesshomaru thought. _Obviously_.

"My name is Lola."

_At least it can't read my thoughts. _Sesshomaru surmised.

"What is your name, my dear?"

"_My dear"…?_ This thing apparently thought he was its **pet**.

"Do you know who I am, you worthless steel?" Lord Sesshomaru growled with murder.

"Oh my goodness, of course I don't know who you are, you haven't told me. My oh my oh my, you're really powerful. The most powerful student I ever have had so far."

Sesshomaru could feel the sword smile and he wanted to kill it. He thought about unsheathing his Tokigin but thought otherwise. Inuyasha was looking for him no doubt and Sesshomaru planned to save energy by sauntering about the forest so after Inuyasha's fight to find him, he: Lord Sesshomaru-would have the upper hand.

The sword waited patiently in his hand and then decided to ask, "Is something the matter, dear?"

Sesshomaru ignored "Lola" and stepped closer to the edge of the cliff, he glanced down, and it was a long, long, way down…good.

Sesshomaru held the unfortunate sword above the cliff. She didn't say anything as he suddenly opened his hand.

SHE DIDN'T FREAKIN' FALL!!

Sesshomaru's jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed with daggers of murder. This hunk of human steel was NOT going to make HIM the fool.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin touched his leg in concern. Why was he so very, very mad at the sword? Why was he trying to get rid of the pretty thing?

Sesshomaru looked at her through the corner of his eye. So the sword didn't reveal itself to anyone but its victim. Great-well he wasn't going to tell them about the sword's power-er-annoyance.

"Ah, so your name is Sesshomaru? Well I say," Lola spoke with some urgency, "why don't you stop what you are doing and actually look at the girl face on when she talks to you?"

Sesshomaru glared back at the sword. "You shut it."

Rin flinched with hurt, was he saying that to her? She backed away trembling. He had never said anything like that to her before.

"Ah!" Lola squeaked. "Look at what you did, you frightened the poor girl! You apologize to her right this instant." Lola calmly demanded with a little bit of worry tainting her voice. Why was she nervous? She's done this plenty of times, why panic? Uh oh.

Sesshomaru snapped, he swung her over a rock and slammed Lola on the rock's surface. "Who are you to tell ME what to do?!" Sesshomaru growled through his tight jaw and he snarled menacingly at the reflection of his own face in her blade.

_Well,_ Lola thought, _that's the hardest beating I've ever gotten but it isn't the first._

Rin and Jaken stared in surprise. Lord Sesshomaru rarely snapped in front of them. Well, maybe Jaken mostly but Rin?

"You ought to tell your friend and daughter what's happening, they think you're crazy." Lola passively stated.

_Daughter…?!_ Sesshomaru thought and narrowed his eyes to slits. "You are going to have a _long_ and _painful _death for insulting me. She's not my daughter." Sesshomaru didn't feel all good about that last comment but he wanted to set things straight about that assumption.

Lola laughed with embarrassment.

Sesshomaru really wanted to kill it.

"Pardon my silly assumption, I just thought that since she was with you…well, I'm sorry. Would you please introduce us properly, Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru was extremely and beyond pissed by now. Not only was it telling him what to do, it didn't treat him as a Lord.

Sesshomaru was about to slam her against the rock again but Jaken suddenly asked, "Is it speaking to you, My Lord?"

Sesshomaru lowered his one hand and looked at Jaken. This little imp understood? Well, that saved a whole lot of explaining.

"Yes." Sesshomaru twisted his wrist towards him as he examined his grasp on the hilt. Dread now flowed through him because he knew he wasn't going to be able to shake himself from this load of sh--.

"See, Rin? Lord Sesshomaru didn't say that to you. He was punishing the sword. Only he can hear the sword since he now possesses it."

"You have a smart friend." Lola commented.

Sesshomaru glared again at Lola. "What am I going to do with you?" He only had one arm so he couldn't grab the Tokigin and destroy Lola when his hand was occupied.

"Well, I see you want me out of your hand so all you have to do is sheath me in your belt and I will allow you to let go of me." Lola said with a gratuity in her voice.

_Sheath it in my belt…._Sesshomaru composed himself strongly against his grin and did as she said.

Then Sesshomaru grabbed the Tokigin.

"If you are thinking about killing me with that, you'll only end up hurting yourself." Lola threatened with a smile. "By the way, my lessons are based so: If you resist, I will never leave. If you obey, then I must go. I will be training you in etiquette, Sesshomaru."


	2. Chapter 2

Sesshomaru glared back down at the sword with such anger that it would have burned a lesser demon

Sesshomaru glared back down at the sword with such anger that it would have burned a lesser demon.

Lola just stayed silent. This was _always_ the first reaction.

Strangely, Sesshomaru's shoulders dropped some and he felt Lola smile.

"What's wrong with my normal behavior?" Sesshomaru said coolly but still tense with hostility.

Rin and Jaken exchanged confused and concerned glances.

"Well, so far you didn't introduce yourself or me properly and you tried to kill me twice and you mistreat your friends. Of course when I'm through teaching you, you won't be making those mistakes again." Lola's preppy voice was enthusiastic.

Sesshomaru glared down again to his waist where Lola was sheathed comfortably. What if he ran really fast, he thought, would it shake her up?

Probably not, it didn't even seem to faze her when he glanced her off that one rock. Curses.

"My Lord?" Rin tugged on his pant leg.

Sesshomaru glanced down at her but didn't speak. Honestly, he felt ashamed that he fell for such a dirty trick, that he took this stupid challenge-he wasn't arrogant or prideful or anything. Misfortune just decided to take advantage of him. Curses.

Sesshomaru then turned around and headed for the forest. He would ignore this parasite until it gave up on trying to bend him to its will.

Jaken and Rin decided not to ask him about anything and they followed their Lord into the forest.

The next morning, they all awoke around the fire that Jaken had already set up with rotisserie styled food over the flames.

Jaken figured it would be wise and life saving to be extra kind to Lord Sesshomaru. Especially sense he was going to have to deal with the pest about his belt. Only he-Master Jaken, would know if something _really_ annoyed the heck out of Lord Sesshomaru.

Rin awoke and smiled sleepily to Jaken, who looked at her hearing her yawning, then she said, "Thank you for the food, Master Jaken."

"Shall we get started on your lessons, Sesshomaru?" Lola sang with eagerness while Sesshomaru was slowly working on getting completely alert. Lola annoyingly continued.

"Alright, for one, you should go to bed earlier. That way you aren't so tired and sloppy in your movements."

Sesshomaru's eyes opened the rest of the way. _Curses,_ he thought. His dreams had taken him to a place that the stupid sword couldn't follow and now he was back at _this _place again.

Sesshomaru ignored her and looked up at the "shish-co-bob" that floated above the fire's reach. It was almost done, he could smell it.

"Well?" Lola interrupted. "What do you say when someone does a kind gesture for you?"

Sesshomaru tipped his head back against the tree he leaned on, working on tuning the voice out of his head.

"Aren't you going to say 'thank you'?" Lola asked with an edge in her voice.

He stayed quiet and resisted the urge to grab her, and chuck her into the forest. Of course, reminiscing on past attempts, he knew that wouldn't happen. Unless, what if he threw her quickly when she was off guard?

"Are you listening to me? Hello? Mr. Sessho-" Lola was suddenly ripped from his belt.

SHE DIDN'T FREAKIN' LEAVE HIS HAND!

She was _**still **_stuck to his hand!! What the --!!

Now Sesshomaru stood up and stamped into the forest. Rin and Jaken began to gather their stuff but Sesshomaru yelled.

"DON'T FOLLOW ME!"

With a large distance between him and the others, he furiously began to swing Lola and targeted the forest. He swung her to the left and cleanly cut a thick tree, then uprooted a large bush to the right while the tree to his left timbered to the ground. He traveled as he vigorously swung her about. His eyes tinted red in his fury. Trees cracked and snapped as they hit the forest floor, tall grass, dirt, and bush debris flew around him and followed his swing. Time seemed frozen in place as Sesshomaru deforested a mile circumference of the plant life that surrounded him.

Then he abruptly stopped, now he was bored.

"Are you done?" Lola sounded "ticked" at his sudden out burst.

"I guess so, are you?" Sesshomaru coolly and sarcastically asked with annoyance apparent in his voice. He didn't want to look at the sword in his hand.

"Why did you do that?!" Now her anger was clear as she spoke. "You ruined the forest, you shouted harshly to your friends and you…_brainlessly_ swung me about as if you didn't know how to use a sword!"

"_What?!"_ Sesshomaru snapped back. "Who are _you_ to order me around like you're _something_? What gives _you _authority to even **think** to 'teach' me _anything_?"

"There is a perfect reason why I was made and by that I know I _am _something. My authority was granted by _you_ to teach you etiquette, the second you so even touched me-I was given the right to teach the rudest demons like you some proper manners!"

Sesshomaru just stood there and glanced about him. This was going to be the longest day…

"Well, I must compliment on your walk, well done." Lola smiled.

Sesshomaru ignored her.

Rin and Jaken were walking in silence. They had heard all the destruction their Lord caused and they didn't want to make things worse so they kept quiet-to spare their lives.

"Your friends are especially quiet today." Lola commented.

Sesshomaru acknowledged her but didn't speak.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

Sesshomaru glared at Lola who again, rested in his belt.

"Why must you always glare at me? Why not take some action, hm? Is that the sort of reputation you've built?" Lola lectured.

Sesshomaru thought a moment. Lola waited.

Sesshomaru stopped and sighed then turned to face Rin and Jaken, who stared up at him with cautious worry.

"Why aren't you two talking?" Sesshomaru almost murmured.

"W-we didn't want to bother you further, my Lord." Rin wrung her hands slowly with anxiousness.

"Awe," Lola cooed. "Tell them thank you for their concern."

Sesshomaru ground his teeth slightly. He absolutely hated this sword. "You can talk." He said finally and turned back around to start walking again.

Lola was taken aback that he would say **that** instead of "thank you" and she lectured him long and hard about it. Sesshomaru ignored her.

At dinner, Jaken prepared another meal. Fish would be the main course and he found some berries as a side dish.

Sesshomaru was out again. All he and Rin could do was wait for his return, when ever that was.

It had been seven days since the stupid sword interrupted their quiet, settle, and organized lives and over these days, Jaken saw slow progressive changes from his Lord.

First of all, he talks more than he used to and he's said things that you never would've thought to have even crossed his mind! Just the other day it looked like Sesshomaru was struggling to say "thank you" to a worthless imp like him. He'd rather see Sesshomaru _"smile"_ at him than say "thank you" for the stuff that Jaken so willingly did daily. But at the same time, maybe Sesshomaru needed this change…..oops, he shouldn't think that.

Jaken gnawed on his lower lip guilty when Sesshomaru shuffled through the bushes.

"You're back, My Lord!" Jaken bowed at Sesshomaru's feet.

Jaken then heard a pitiful sigh drag through the air, Lord Sesshomaru?

"Don't do that, get up." Sesshomaru passively commanded and walked around the fire to a tree to rest against.

Of all things naturally evil in this world, what was _**that**_ that just came out of his evil Lord Sesshomaru's mouth?! That was so un-natural, so scary, so….so…weird.

Jaken's shock faded and he smiled as he stood upright with his back to his Lord. This was good. As _**wrong**_ as it was, it was good!


	3. Chapter 3

Rin watched Sesshomaru back from across the fire as he slept

Rin watched Sesshomaru back from across the fire as he slept. He had definitely changed and she didn't know what to think of it. She mostly liked it though, despite how out of the ordinary it was.

It's been almost nine whole days since the sword Rin and Jaken now know as Lola, attached _her_self to Sesshomaru. Every day is a surprise because Sesshomaru is quickly changing.

Seven days ago, she and Jaken got used to hearing the words "Thank you" and "Your welcome" come out of his mouth. The most surprising day was when Sesshomaru volunteered to grab something for Rin that was just a little bit out of her reach and he smiled. Not in a bad way, thank goodness, but it was a smile nonetheless. Rin couldn't help but blush, she really liked him this way. He had even told them to stop calling him their Lord.

"Rin,"

Rin's head jerked up towards Sesshomaru's soothing voice.

"There's a village near by, do you want to go and socialize with other human children like yourself? I think it would be good for you." Sesshomaru held out his hand to help her stand with a light smile at the corner of his mouth.

Rin stared for a moment and then smiled. "Yes, Sesshomaru! As long as you come with me and meet the friends I make!" She grabbed his hand and leaped up with excitement.

Jaken sat behind Sesshomaru with paralyzing surprise.

Rin held Sesshomaru's hand as they walked. She skipped and he never told her to stop, she sang aloud and he never told her to keep it down. This was the best day ever: just Rin and Sesshomaru.

"I want to run!" Rin began to jump as she kept slow pace with Sesshomaru.

"Hmm," Sesshomaru stopped and faced her. "Do you want to run yourself?"

Rin was confused.

Sesshomaru made a short laugh through his nose, bent over, slipped his hands under her arms and lifted her up on his shoulders.

"Hold on, Rin."

He ran at full speed.

Rin held onto his chin for dear, sweet, fabulous life to live through this once in a life time moment. The wind felt wonderful in her hair and the strength of his shoulders and the smooth feel of his chin made her heart flutter. He legs didn't feel like they even touched the ground. It felt as though they were flying. Even her dreams couldn't capture this moment.

It wasn't more than three minutes of his smooth, glorious running that they finally made it to the village. Rin, in all honesty, was bummed out. She wanted him to run some more.

"Ready, Rin?" Sesshomaru smiled sweetly, lovingly and gloriously up at her kind face.

"Yes," Rin whispered. She was afraid that if she cheered he would snap out of it and everything would be gone.

Still on his shoulders, Rin searched the village alleys for a kid her age. She didn't find one, she found several playing together. There were two girls and three boys playing some sort of ball game. It looked really fun.

"You see what I see, Sesshomaru?" Rin looked down at Sesshomaru, who twisted his head sideways to look up at her with his handsome smile.

"I do. Wish to say hello?"

Rin couldn't hold back her excitement and hugged his head. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Sesshomaru chuckled happily with a sweet sound that could break a heart.

Sesshomaru walked over to the group of children, who stopped everything to stare at the white haired man with a little girl on his shoulders.

"Hello, everyone," Sesshomaru smoothly tipped his head in greeting, "I'm Sesshomaru and this here is Rin." He had a hold of her ankle and he made her foot swing as he looked up at her again in his introduction. His face still glowing with his dazzling smile.

The children introduced themselves too and they invited Rin to play. She gladly obliged.

She played with them by herself for a while but didn't like the fact that Sesshomaru sat and watched from the sidelines.

"Come on, Sesshomaru! Play with us!" Rin encouraged.

"It's alright, Rin. This is for you. Please enjoy yourself."

Rin's smile faded. Suddenly she felt very sad, like this wasn't going to last. No, it can't go away now. It's too…too…..beyond what words can say; it can't stop now!

"Please, Sesshomaru," Rin pleaded, "it's not the same with out you."

Sesshomaru smiled lovingly as he gently tucked a stray hair behind Rin's small ear. He thought for a moment.

"I don't know," Sesshomaru began saying aloud that the other children turned their heads, "you're playing a wrestling game now, right? If I join you, I might hurt someone because I'm so powerful."

Rin was surprised to see the mischievous smile stretch gracefully across his lips.

"Oh yeah?" One of the boys behind Rin spoke up. "Well, let's see you take on all of us, old man!"

"Old man? I could win against all of you with this one arm. Don't be so prideful, little boy. It's unsightly." Sesshomaru, keeping his sly smile, tilted his head back and to the side to eye the boy provokingly.

"Whatever, and you couldn't win against all of us with your one arm. It's impossible." The same boy shouted back.

"Cursed pride." Sesshomaru almost laughed as he stood up. "Alright little boy, gather your troops and show me what you've got."

The children exchanged small glances and attacked with the most mature war cries that they could manage.

Rin stepped out of the way, too shocked at the moment to do anything.

The children jumped up and grabbed him around the legs and about his waist. They yelled and cheered at each other, shouting for victory, which they were sure to win.

"Oh no. There's too many of them! This is hard but their still not strong enough!" Sesshomaru's handsome voice was sarcastic.

The boy commanded that everyone grab onto his legs to trip him. They did so and two children clasped to his left leg and three on his right.

"Alright, that's it!" Sesshomaru shouted.

Sesshomaru heavily lifted his leg with two children and set it in front of him. The two screamed and cried with absolute joy. Then Sesshomaru lifted the other leg with three children and set it front of him.

Rin blinked as she watched Sesshomaru try to walk strangely with the five children hugging his legs.

They all screamed, cheered, and laughed like they were on a theme park ride. Sesshomaru's heart breaking laugh was among the voices of joy coming from the base of his legs as he walked heavily, his one arm swinging in inconsistent circles to keep his balance at times.

Rin laughed with them and finally ran to Sesshomaru's back to join the fun. She glomped him about the waist and it made his arm spin.

"Whoa, Rin!" Sesshomaru exclaimed happily and the other children cheered.

"Do it again! Do it again! Knock him over! Knock him over!" Rin heard the others shout.

Rin then climbed up Sesshomaru's back, grabbing his clothes and stepping on his belt to get to his shoulder.

"Rin, what are you doing?" Sesshomaru chuckled as he was bent slightly forward and trying to see her over his shoulder.

She didn't answer as she swatted her way through his fluff to his arm.

"Got you!" Rin yelled as she jumped and clasped to Sesshomaru's arm, her momentum pulling it down.

"OH NO!" Sesshomaru sarcastically exclaimed as he carefully and slowly fell to the ground.

Rin grabbed his head so he wouldn't hurt it though she knew he wouldn't.

"Arrrrrr!" Sesshomaru playfully growled and shook his head gently against Rin's chest.

She giggled with delight as she felt his soft, smooth hair shuffle and slide through her fingers. Her heart fluttered vigorously and she laughed harder as his shake tickled her outside and inside.

The other children had abandoned their seats on Sesshomaru's feet and got up to fall on his back in a dog pile.

"Okay! Okay! I give up! I give up! You win!" Sesshomaru laughed as they tickled his sides and the back of his neck that they discovered.

At his shout of surrender, the children jumped and cheered with sure victory. They laughed and gave high fives in celebration; Rin gave high fives too.

As they celebrated, they forgot about Sesshomaru, who now was standing with another smug smile on his face that meant revenge.

"Arrrrrr!" Sesshomaru's sudden war cry made everyone start and begin to run. However, Sesshomaru, with one great sweep of his arm, grabbed all the skinny little children and swept them into his embrace.

They laughed and screamed at the same time as he rocked back to sit down with all the kids sitting in his lap.

"No fair! You surrendered!" the boy from earlier complained as he stood up.

"I know. I just wanted a little revenge." Sesshomaru chuckled.

Sunset fell and the children said their good-byes and dispersed to their homes. Many cried with heartbreak in hearing the news that they would never see Sesshomaru or Rin again.

After all those tears, Rin and Sesshomaru were finally alone and on their way to the campsite, that Jaken was left guarding.

"Sesshomaru," Rin laid her head on Sesshomaru's as she sat once again on his shoulders.

"Yes, Rin." Sesshomaru's thumb rubbed her ankle softly.

"Will you be like this forever?"

"Of course. I actually really like being this way. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner." Sesshomaru sighed.

Rin smiled and tears began to show through her closed eyes.

"Are you about to fall asleep, Rin?" Sesshomaru wiggled her leg.

"Kind of." Rin murmured.

Sesshomaru reached back and encouraged her to climb to the front of him; he cradled her in his arm and held her delicate head in his hand.

"There, you can sleep now." Sesshomaru whispered softly and dreamily to her closed eyes.

"I love you, Sesshomaru." Rin murmured and cuddled into his chest.

Sesshomaru smiled, touched his forehead to hers and whispered.

"I love you too, Rin."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Oh my….." he gasped.

"Did you….?"

"I think so….."she breathed.

"Was that really…..?" his face creased with angst.

"As creepy as that was for him, it was actually really cute the way he played with the kids like that." Kagome whispered.

"That's an understatement." Sango said with surprise.

WHOMP!

"Inuyasha!"

"Stop rolling your eyes around like that-it's freaking me out and I don't think my body can handle much more anxiety!"

"Encouragement, Miroku! Encouragement!" Sango scolded but was still shaken up.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome worried.


	4. Good Bye

_He doesn't need me much longer…_

Jaken reminisced on the day Sesshomaru had walked into the campsite two days ago with Rin in his arm. He sighed again as he thought of the major difference between Sesshomaru now and the old Sesshomaru….the old LORD Sesshomaru. The difference was Jurassic and beyond the incredible. Something didn't sit right…can you really change an evil demon into a domestic man within a few days?

Sesshomaru yawned loudly behind his hand as he stretched his legs and arched his back to awaken it. Rin slid of his chest and fell into his lap then stretched. She yawned too and Sesshomaru smiled then bounced his hand over her mouth, which made her laugh.

Jaken watched how close they had gotten over the last few days. Rin now always slept on or next to Sesshomaru. It was rather cute but he still felt shifty about it. He couldn't help it and he hated surprises.

Sesshomaru smiled sweetly at Rin and hugged her to his chest again. Morning hugs is what they called them. Sesshomaru closed his eyes as if to savor Rin's presence. Her face lay buried in the fluff over Sesshomaru's shoulder but Jaken could tell that she favored every moment.

Jaken shifted again as he had done all night.

They ate breakfast again together as Rin talked again about the day she and Sesshomaru played with the children. They both laughed as they told their favorite parts again. Jaken could tell from Sesshomaru's story that he obviously let the children win but it didn't seem that Rin knew.

Sesshomaru chuckled at something and Jaken looked up from his food to see Sesshomaru wipe away a smudge of breakfast from the corner of Rin's mouth. She giggled and thanked him.

"What's with that face, Jaken?" Sesshomaru suddenly switched his attention to him.

"What face?" Jaken bluntly asked to cover his anxiety.

"The face that looks like something is going to hit it." Sesshomaru smiled and lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm fine, I assure you."

"Jaken, if something is bothering you please let me know. It'll make you feel better, just ask Rin. She talked to me the day before yesterday about a nightmare she had and she was able to sleep after she told me. It's that right, Rin?" Sesshomaru set his empty dish down by the fireplace and smiled warmly at Jaken.

"Yep! Tell us what's making the face, Jaken." Rin giggled sweetly.

"Well," Jaken was nervous, "I guess that, well, I don't know, I, um,"

"You can do it, Jaken." Rin encouraged.

Jaken's cheeks got hot. "I worry that this new attitude of yours, Sesshomaru, it's going to last and I won't be prepared for your sudden change." Jaken let it roll off his tongue.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened and his delicate eyebrows creased with worry but Jaken kept his head down, ashamed.

Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder and he looked up.

"Don't worry, Jaken. I'll always be _this_ Sesshomaru, not Lord Sesshomaru."

Jaken swallowed and nodded curtly.

They walked more that day and Rin was always either holding Sesshomaru's hand or up on his shoulders. He didn't mind at all, in fact, he encouraged it.

Jaken saw that they headed towards the place that Inuyasha often was around. He got chills all of the sudden when Sesshomaru told them they were going to camp here by the Tree of Inuyasha. It was dinnertime and Jaken began to uncontrollably fidget.

Sesshomaru kept telling him that it was okay and that he just wanted to say hello to Inuyasha and apologize for how he acted in the past but Jaken, for some reason, didn't like the idea.

As they ate their dinner, Rin sat next to Sesshomaru as always. Jaken watched every now and then knowing he wouldn't sleep tonight.

After dinner, Rin and Sesshomaru whispered to each other while Jaken tried to look asleep with his back turned to them. He'd lied and told them he was exhausted. He could hear them talk about him; they were worried. Then he listened to Sesshomaru tell Rin it was time for bed. He heard them shuffle and get comfortable after the hiss of the fire being put out.

Jaken quietly turned over to watch them, for what reason he didn't know. The full moon showed little of them but Jaken could see their silhouettes. Rin sat upright in Sesshomaru's lap as they whispered to each other a little more. Jaken listened carefully, the conversation went in an interesting direction with Sesshomaru's opening:

"Rin, I want to start a new little tradition with you, like our Morning Hugs."

"Okay,"

"What do you say to Good night Kisses?"

"Really?!"

"Shhhhh, yes Rin." Sesshomaru tucked another stray hair behind her ear.

Jaken was paralyzed; he couldn't move.

Sesshomaru pulled Rin's head a little closer and he planted a touching kiss to her forehead.

"I love you, Rin. Don't ever forget that." Sesshomaru whispered sweetly as he played with her hair.

Rin stretched her neck to kiss Sesshomaru on the forehead.

"I love you too, Sesshomaru. And don't you ever forget it either." Rin cuddled to Sesshomaru's chest and wriggled her head in place on his sternum.

"I can't and I won't." Sesshomaru tipped his head back against the tree he leaned on and they didn't say another word for the rest of the night.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Rin told Jaken that morning that he looked almost dead. Jaken told her that he was fine and he just was so tired because he didn't want to move off the rock that bothered him last night. It was a lie of course, he didn't want to admit that he'd cried last night because he couldn't bring himself to believe that Sesshomaru was going to be like this forever.

He watched from his peripheral vision as they had their morning hugs…and kisses. They must've arranged that last minute when they both woke up.

"Hold on a minute, Rin. I'm listening to Lola." Sesshomaru said.

Jaken watched emotions flow in Sesshomaru's eyes as he listened.

"Sesshomaru, you've been such a wonderful student and you make me so proud. Not only have you improved but you've helped me over come a challenge that I thought I never would over come. Thank you so much, and if you could politely find a generous place for me to await my next student."

Sesshomaru told Rin and Jaken what Lola told him.

Jaken suddenly felt relieved. Rin's eyebrows creased with worry at first but smiled and looked around.

They decided to place her in front of the Tree of Inuyasha.

"Thank you, Lola." Sesshomaru said as he held her in his hand by the hilt.

"Thank you, Lola." Rin echoed.

"Good bye, Lola." Jaken said.

Sesshomaru smiled and stuck her in the ground…….then pulled out the Tokigin.

"What are you doing, Sesshomaru?" Lola's voice was aloud that Jaken and Rin heard her.

"It's LORD Sesshomaru, you disrespectful sword!" Sesshomaru laughed with demonic bells of Hell as he lifted the Tokigin above his head. "EVIL NEVER DIES, SCRAP METAL!!"

Lola screamed only once as she was cut into pieces.


End file.
